Staff Spotlight: 20 Questions in 60 Seconds with Arina Stopa

20 Questions in 60 Seconds is our blog series in which we interview Communities In schools staff members. This week's guest is Arina Stopa, Graphic Design Specialist at the Communities In Schools National office.

1. What three traits define you?
Analytical, driven, restless.

2. What is your personal philosophy?
You can learn how to love and respect others only after you learn how to love, accept and respect yourself.

3. What would you like to be your greatest accomplishment?
Being happy in marriage forever after.

4. Ten years ago, who did you think you would be now?
A choreographer in Bahrain.

5. What's one thing you couldn't live without?
Without loving and being loved. Of course I would survive, but surviving and living are so far from each other.

6. What is the greatest challenge you have had to overcome in your life thus far?
Believing in myself and allowing myself to be happy.

7. Where is your favorite place to be?
Anywhere new.

8. What is your favorite thing to do?
Design, travel and work out.

9. Where is the best place you've traveled to and why?
Croatia, because it was my first real date with my now husband.

10. Who is your biggest inspiration?
Different people at different times. I am trying to keep my eyes open to learn from people around me. Sometimes coffee is helpful :).

11. What's the coolest (or most important) trend you see today?
Technology. I would want to live forever just to see where it will lead.

12. What would you do (for a career) if you weren't doing this?
I am happy with where I am at the moment. No regrets.

13. You're hosting a dinner party. Who are the 3 people, living or dead, who you would invite and why?
I don't want dead people or dead and living people at one table. That would be weird. I would only invite my family, but there are many more than three.

14. What would you serve?
Whatever they would want to eat and something that they have never tasted before. For example, the Russian part of my family has never tasted sweet potatoes.

15. Do you have any pets? What kind?
No. I want a cat, but my allergies don't like the idea.

16. If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be?
Making chocolates in a chocolate factory. More than one day would be dangerous for both me and the factory.

17. What advice do you have for kids who are struggling in school?
Ask for help and hold on tight. There is life after school.

18. What are your three most overused words/phrases?
Da, niet, wassup.

19. How do you define success?
Being happy in the current moment and excited about the future.

20. What is your favorite part about working at Communities In Schools?
Being involved in something important, helpful and deeper than just creating pretty designs.